Journalists write "knowingly" on the situation in Israel without ever living here; without first hand knowledge of what it means to live in this tiny country in the midst of a rather unfriendly neighbourhood.
I write without vengeance, without hatred, just what I experience,the view from my veranda and the thoughts in my head.
My archive is available at www.lingomatics.com/Shabbatshalom/index.html

About Me

I am a freelance journalist living in Jerusalem. I strive to tell the truth as it is never seen in the media - the life of one Israeli trying to get along with everyone but not willing to deny her past nor her identity.

Friday, 27 May 2016

Here in Edmonton, Canada it is only eleven o'clock on a Friday morning, so Shabbat is still a good few hours away, and many adventures are behind us, with even more ahead of us!

Last week was uneventful for both of us since we discovered our incredible lassitude was a result of pneumonia - in both of us!!!!

Undaunted by the pneumonia, which by now was no longer infectious, we left Jerusalem on the 23rd of May at two o'clock in the morning, heading for Ben Gurion Airport to catch a 06:00 flight to Vienna - then to Frankfurt (which has to be the longest walk between gates of any airport in the world) then from Frankfurt to Denver, Colorado and the waiting arms of Zvi's old friend from his Mexico Days, Monica Minkoff.

Monica took us home to meet her wonderful husband Harry and generally spoil us and prepare a plan for the next two days. Next morning we set off for their home in Vail (me in the back seat with the oxygen attached) through beautiful countryside, then early next morning set off on a drive to the Colorado National Monument, conceivably one of the most glorious sites and sights I have ever seen. Huge, fascinating and evidence of time immemorial. As gorgeous as it was my favourite part of the journey was listening to Zvi and Monica going back to schooldays and talking of their common friends.

Monica and Harry, I can't thank you both enough. Sadly I didn't get to see our friends Pete and Marilyn Coors - our lines got crossed! I did however get to talk to Steve Lillard who called to ask me some pertinent questions. Steve - I hope I answered them!

Yesterday We flew up to Edmonton - to Barry and Cristine Slawky in preparation for Barry's 70th birthday Bonanza!!! More of that next week!!!

Our time in the USA gave us a chance to hear opinions on the elections from both American born voters and from Ethiopian and Latino immigrants. My favourite people to talk to are always taxi drivers - they tell their truth because they will probably never see you again! Thoughts are varied but in general they are for Trump - believing that he will stop his rhetoric and get down to business once elected. Gosh I don't know who I would vote for but..................no, it's none of my business. I just want the best person for America.

Mr Netanyahu is further vilified in the media -while those who oppress and express determination to kill Jews and Christians are treated as saints - but then that is nothing new!!!!

The Ethiopian taxi driver told us he was a recipient of political asylum in the USA, his life endangered in his native land. He told us horrific stories of the persecution of Christians and the takeover of Islam. This is a story so familiar all over Africa, so distressing, so ignored in an uncaring world.

I was thinking about the 70th anniversary of the Kingdom of Jordan being celebrated right now. The Hashemite Kingdom (think about the name Hashemite - Godly) given to the descendants of Mohammed and his two sons Hassan and Hussein in the same division of land that created many new states, and yet nobody questions Jordans existence. Pure racism drives the forces that deny Israels existence - pure, evil, constant and inexplicable racism.

Barry's favourite Israeli singer is David D'Or, and we approach American elections so only one song seemed appropriate, David's performance of Amazing Grace for President Obama - incredible indeed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trsYJowcEMQ

Friday, 20 May 2016

Thank
you, thank you, thank you for your wonderful wishes and concern for Talia and
Ayala. They are doing remarkably well as their bruises begin to fade and their
sleep is less disturbed. Indeed their school is gathering all 1,000 girls for a
huge party of thanks today and Talia is speaking before the entire school!!

For
anyone finding it difficult to follow the Israeli political scene and what just
happened in our Ministry of Security, Zvi wrote a simplification for you

Bogie
got upset with Bibi. Bibi wanted to get rid of Bogie, but then heard Sisi. Bibi
turned to Bougie. Bougie was with Bibi, but while Bibi had talks with Bougie he
also flirted with Ivet. So, Bougie left Bibi and went to argue with Sheli.
Meantime, Ivet became Sisi so Bibi gave him the ministry of Bogie.

In
short, Bibi stayed as Bibi, Bougie got Sheli, Bogie is out and we got Ivet
Liberman! However – it isn't over so watch this space……………………….

Seriously
though, I am sad that the Labour Party (aka Zionist Union) didn't jump at the
offer to join the government thus giving it a much wider political range,
indeed had Yair Lapid also joined it would have given us a more representative
government. I know the press loves to hate Ivet Liberman but his bullish
appearance belies a wily and able politician. Bougie (Isaac) Herzog is much stronger
than his puppy-like appearance but is pulled down by his party and Bogie
Yaalon, who was a Chief of Staff of the IDF, decided to go public with his
disagreements rather than approaching the PM.

The
disagreement over the punishment of the soldier in Hebron who shot and killed
a terrorist who was already on the ground is clear. The soldier claimed, after
the fact, that he thought the terrorist was dangerous, but we don't kill for no
reason, yes a terrorist but we don't kill unless in a situation of mortal
danger. That is the difference between the IDF and all other military bodies in
the world. Can you imagine an American (or indeed any) soldier on guard getting
placed on trial for murder for killing a terrorist? The young soldier is a
proclaimed member of Kach (right wing Kahane party).

Yet
another Egyptian aeroplane seems to have gone down for no apparent reason
and President Sisi suspects terror. Why? Because he is fighting terror,
together with us, and their answer is to kill innocents.

Terror
is not only what you see reported on CNN, ABC, BBC, Sky or any of the other
stations. Every day, every minute thousands are victims to the horrific terror
of Islamic fundamentalism. If it isn't close to home we tend to wash over it.
Nigeria is sinking and her Christians dying; Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, Mali,
Sierra Leone, I could go on and on but the sad fact is that Africa doesn't get
the coverage and the carnage is diabolical. Boco Haram doesn't disappear after
kidnapping 300 Christian girls from school and subjecting them to rape, beating
and murder; our lack of concern encourages them to continue undisturbed.

Not
everything is dark and ominous though, there are beams of light at the end of the
tunnel that are not trains. My lovely friend Canon Andrew White has a
new and truly magnificent project. In the Jordan Valley lie some ancient
churches but most are inaccessible because both Israel and Jordan laid land
mines along that length of the River Jordan during the Six Day War. One very
important Christian site was cleared by Israel about 5 years ago "Qasr
El-Yahud" or Crossing of the Jews, the site where Joshua led the
Israelites and the Ark of the Covenant over the river to safety. More than
300,000 pilgrims come to the site where Jesus was baptized and enter the waters
in white robes, blessed by priests on the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the
River Jordan, just metres apart. It is wonderful.

Anyway
back to Andrew White. Andrew and the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation
in the Middle East, together with the Halo Trust are clearing the
minefields to allow access to the churches. Israeli authorities have been wary
to clear up until now for fear of damaging the ancient structures but through negotiation
and careful planning it is going ahead.

This is
an excellent report except being the BBC they had to accuse Israel for the
mines and emphasise the Occupied bit.

My
love and admiration for Rabbi Jeremy Rosen is well known. This week he wrote
about something that touches us all, helping someone in trouble – especially after
the incredible generosity and help afforded to the girls after the bus crash. http://jeremyrosen.blogspot.co.il/
He writes

"In 1964 Kitty
Genovese was stabbed to death late one night in Queens, New York by Winton
Mosely who said that he simply wanted to kill a woman. He was sentenced to
life, and a few weeks ago he died in prison. The case generated immense
publicity because it seemed that a lot of people heard her scream and no one came
to her rescue even after she was left bleeding to death.

Israel has a law requiring citizens to go the
help of another. Its legal system is a compound of Ottoman law and British law,
and they do not require going to someone’s aid. But the third element, Jewish
law, most certainly does. The Torah explicitly says, and we read it last week
in Leviticus 19, “Do not stand by (while) the blood of your neighbor (is being
spilt).” For us it is a moral, religious obligation to protect someone under
threat of danger. Not only, but Jewish Law as reflected in the Shulchan Aruch
insists that one should even be prepared to risk danger to do so. "

Since
the trauma of the accident two days of visitors have cheered us up! Claudio Grubner surprised us and it was
such a delight to spend time with him. He had amazing, highly relevant
questions about politics and diplomacy in Israel and of course Zvi was
delighted to explain – in detail. Our second visitors were Roy Solomon and
his lovely Binnie. They called us from a walking tour of the Old City
"We have to see the Veranda"!!! Zvi went to get them and brought them
home. Oh the joy of watching their delight to find every tree I had described
and the view, oh the view. The weather chose to be perfect so we sat outside
sipping a tisane of herbs from our veranda, talking and relaxing. They couldn't
decide where to go after our visit, but I knew! Mahane Yehuda market…… on a
Thursday evening it is full of Shabbat shoppers and fresh produce, of course
they were thrilled with the idea and I await their report!

We
are going away for a while so I may not be in a position to give you the usual
reports. We are heading toward Denver, Colorado and Monika Minkoff; Helena,
Montana to Barry Slawsky's 70th Birthday Bash then to New York to
see my son Daniel's beloved family, Karen and the two children Joshua and Callie.
Gosh I miss them! We will see lots of friends too and we are going north to
Bedford, to Shaarey Tefila Temple to speak to Rabbi David Greenbergs
community on June 8th. They haven't met Zvi so are in for a treat!

Music
music music. This week I have a problem. Binnies favourite song is Al Kol Eleh,
but I don't want to repeat my favourite songs too often. Will you bear with me?
She is such a lovely lady and this version has transliteration! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJQg29FLVDY

Tuesday, 17 May 2016

Yesterday
was a tough day! Talia and Ayalas school bus was in an accident, it spun
several times and turned over completely after the driver veered to avoid another
accident right in front of them. An idiot driver thought she could turn into a side
road across the traffic, travelling fast.

16
little girls found themselves and their school bags flying against the side of
the bus. Talia thought she smelled smoke so quickly managed to get most of the
girls out through the broken back window and passersby stopped to help the
others out. Everyone and gave their phones to the girls to call home -
including cars with Palestinian licences whose drivers went out of his way to
help them. In Israel, no-one simply walks by, the girls remember a huge wave of
people coming to see how they were and gently seating them at the side of the
road until the ambulances and first responders arrived.

Rachel raced
to the scene almost immediately but couldn't get to the hospital when the
ambulances left because all traffic was diverted due to the accident. She called me and of
course I raced to the Shaare Zedek Hospital, just 10 minutes from our home.

The children
were all in shock. Some of the mothers had not yet arrived and the girls saw a
familiar face in me. Ayala had a bump on
her forehead and Talia's shoulder and arm hurt - but by some miracle, none of
the children was seriously hurt but all were silently traumatized, except Talia
who gave a full description of exactly what happened. Ayala and Talias Auntie
Shiran came too – so that we had one on one with the girls until Rachel could
get there.

Shaare
Zedek Hospital was incredible, over and above the call of duty. Not only the
incredibly efficient and thoughtful medical staff who gathered the girls after
triage, taking them to paediatric ER ensuring they were all together in one
place. The social worker spoke to them, brought in the clowns (literally), medical
clowns who helped them through their trauma, teasing, blowing balloons, tricks
and gifts, the nurses brought them all gifts from a special cupboard of
surprises, age appropriate; their headmistress, school supervisor, hospital
social worker, school social worker, senior and incredibly patient junior
doctors came to check on the girls. In fact the hospital social worker took them
to the petting zoo up on the main children's ward, to break the tension before
they were examined again.

The
parents were also cared for and given hospital food to sustain them and a lot
of love from the staff.

Talia
received the recognition she deserved, her quick thinking was exceptional for a
9 year old. Both girls are now home, sore and bruised but OK. Rachel, who finally managed to get to the
hospital after about an hour, is my heroine. She kept her head, asked the right
questions and eased the other mothers. Big brother Yosef was so worried that
Saba Zvi went to get him from school and brought him to Shaare Zedek to put his
mind at rest.

Shaare
Zedek Paediatric ER - I cannot imagine any other hospital going all the way to ease
the pain of 16 little girls the way they did.

This
morning all 16 girls went to school and they were greeted with a room full of
balloons and treats, the teachers all came to hug them and the other girls in
the school waved and cheered. Good will can turn a trauma into a good
experience, but both of the girls are in pain today as their bruises come out. Rachel
is watching them carefully – an amazing Mother.

Independence
Day
came and went with a wonderful party in Ramat HaSharon and a beach birthday
party for Gili. Friday night we had dinner with Sam and Debbie Bettsak
at the Dan Panorama here in Jerusalem. It is always good to catch up with the
Bettsaks, great friends.

I
thought you may like some general statistics and wonderful videos about a 68 year
old lady, more beautiful every year – Israel of course!!!

May 19th
sees the 100th anniversary of the Sykes Picot agreement. The entire
region was divvied up according to interests by Britain and France, with Italy
and Russia taking a minor role, basically cutting Germany out of the equation As
a result of the division of said countries, with no consideration of ethnic or
national divisions, we have had incessant wars, displacement, extremism and
revolutions ever since. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/sykes_pico.html

I am usually the optimist - I tend to love everyone but something made me furious this
week.A
religious friend was walking on the Tel Aviv beachfront with her sister when suddenly
a lunatic began throwing bottles and other things at them yelling (in an
American accent) "I love to see Harediot run" Nobody helped them -
no-one, not a soul despite the fact that the promenade was full.I am angry
at the lunatic but much angrier at all the Tel Avivim who allowed it to
pass............ shame on them. All it takes for evil to triumph is
for good people to do nothing.

My mind
is still on my grand-daughters – I'm sorry if I haven't written in a well constructed
manner but I think I am also a little traumatized!

Let's
go straight to music

The
first song is a beautiful melody sung by Zvi's choir Hakol Yachassi – lyrics by
Eli Yaron (Ladino) Music by Adi Hayat; dancer Liron Mussachi and violin solo
Alexandra Denissov

So
friends, let you and me change our world. You know we can do it one person at a
time. Don't leave anything to the politicians and diplomats, their self-interest
is evident and their populism and desire for control obvious in every move. The
quiet revolution is the effective one, the war of words, the determined letter
writing, the talking to journalists, the simple act of standing up to be
counted.

Miracles
happen. They did for our family yesterday.

With
love

Sheila

PS I
will try to give you a Shabbat Shalom but felt the need to tell you about
yesterday too.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Remembrance
Day for soldiers who died fighting so we could be free and for those who fell
to terror.

Only
two nights ago we celebrated a truly special wedding. The groom, my nephew Ofer,
stood under the chuppa with his father
Steve and his brothers Sagi and Yair watching with deep emotion as his
beautiful bride Rifka Talia walked up the aisle on her mother and Shulis arms.
It was a wonderful night of pure joy for Steven and Shuli to see their Ofer
married. The celebration was absolute, the evening perfect.

Just
one night later, last night, the entire country stood in silence in the
knowledge that Ofer, Sagi and Yair all lost friends in war and Shuli, Steve,
Zvi and I all knew parents who lost sons and daughters – indeed Steve and Zvi
also lost friends, this war to prove that Jews also deserve their own country
is seemingly never ending. Remembrance Day in Israel is not a shopping
opportunity or even a visit to the Senotaph, it is all encompassing.

Let me
take you to the ceremony we attended on Mount Herzl, in the Military Cemetery.
I made notes when we got home so that I would not forget one moment, one event.

The
ceremony was given by Modiin Troupe of the Israeli Scouts, in honour of those
from their troupe who fell in war since the founding of the nation. Each troupe
had a ceremony all over the country; there was a ceremony in the Knesset; every
municipality held a ceremony and today all schools will do so too. The main
ceremony, or Tekes, was held at the Western Wall, the Kotel, for the bereaved
families. The President takes part and of course the Prime Minister who is himself
a bereaved brother, his brother Yonni died as a hero in Entebbe.

We sat
under the pines of Mount Herzl, young scouts standing to attention on the
natural platform waiting for the siren which would express our deep and abiding
heartache at the loss of friends, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers,
brothers, sisters and a life that was cut short by fury so great that it kills.
We waited, the silence of Jerusalem complete. The breeze ruffled the trees and
then the deep, throaty rise of the siren began reaching a wailing crescendo of
tears. As the siren tapered off we couldn't speak, it held us in a grip of
grief.

The
scout leader asked one of the widows to step forward to light the beacon, the
flame of remembrance. She was very young, very beautiful and as she walked
forward, her head held high, it hit home yet again, another widow, another life
in tatters.

The
ceremony continued with beautiful songs, written of hope and sadness, poems by
great Israeli poets, our lovely Shelley read so beautifully with true pathos;
then they began to read the names of the fallen, the screen showing their faces………
20 years old, 19, 27, 21, 47, 18…… their age irrelevant. As they read the names
of the 34 members of Modiin Troupe, scouts lit a remembrance flame around the
shallow pool representing the sea, the flames reflected in the water. It was a
magnificent tribute to those who died so we could be free.

Today
there will be more ceremonies, families will go to the military cemeteries to
light a Yahzeit candle and cry. At 11:00 precisely the country will come to a
halt. Cars will stop on the highway, buses will stand by the roadside letting
the passengers stand beside them; schools will stand in silence, the children
dressed in white as they learn of the history of our little country; religious
schools will stand in silence and read Tehilim – Psalms.

This evening
it all changes. At the huge ceremony on Mount Herzl, as the guard is changed
and the flags handed over to a new Troupe of soldiers, the mood does 180 degree
turn and the celebrations begin. Only in Israel can you go from deep grief to
sheer joy in a split second! From beacons to barbecues!

The
parties begin, the ozone layer thins as barbecues are lit all over the country and
Israel will celebrate being an exquisitely beautiful 68 year old lady. Of
course we have the right to exist – anyone who claims otherwise needs to come
here and see our achievements – indeed to share in our achievements, we are not
only innovative we are generous!

Tonight
we will go to a huge party, laugh with friends, dance and enjoy a glass of wine
and great food…………. Tomorrow we join other friends for another party and our
joy at being Israeli will be complete. It isn't that we forget the fallen, we
honour them by celebrating the very country they died defending.

There
are so many songs I could give you but one always stands out. Mark Knopfler,
the lead singer of Dire Straits, wrote this song for the IDF and no
matter how many times I hear and watch, it reaches into my heart. Brother in
Arms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTXiBGLloV4

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

It
isn't Shabbat, Pesach has been and gone and it is almost Holocaust
Remembrance Day here in Israel.

Those
who can tell their story and those who heard their stories are slowly leaving
this earth and we must, we have to honour their memory and the memory of those
who perished. How we ensure they are never forgotten is up to you, up to me, up
to all of us. This link of Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum gives you the
testimonies of the survivors. Click on a town and hear the words http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/remembrance/multimedia.asp#!prettyPhoto

We are
not a people that wreaks revenge, we are a people that avenges the deaths of
millions by thriving, by celebrating life, which is why I want to begin by
telling you of our Passover, our Pesach.

We
set the tables in a "Chet" shape, an open rectangle, with everyone
sitting around the outside so we all faced one another, a feat achieved by
putting our lounge suite onto the famous veranda to leave space for the tables.
All achieved with the incredible help of Elisabeth and George Gelb. It really
was delightful. 26 people, 4 languages, rapt attention and space in the middle
for the little children to play. We ate all the traditional foods – from the
parsley dipped in salt water (karpas), the sinus clearing freshly grated
horseradish (maror), the delicious combining (charoset), the hard boiled eggs
in salt water and then the real food. The traditional foods depend upon the
provenance of the family, being Ashkenazi we don't eat rice or beans or any
legumes (kitniot) which may seem to limit the menu but really doesn't! The
reading of the Exodus was fascinating, especially as the children are getting
big enough to join in and of course the songs at the end great fun – especially
when singing about "only One Kid" (Chad Gadya) we make the
appropriate animal sounds!!!

Passover
continued with a short visit to Tel Aviv to see our lovely French
friends Alain and Martine. We went to the Tahana and discovered the IDF
Museum next door. Somewhat dilapidated for lack of funds it is still a
fascinating museum, full of history and artefacts. Well worth a visit. Imagine
my delight at finding a kosher for Passover Pizza place (Mehadrin even) in Tel
Aviv – really!!! I had Matza Spinach Lasagne which was absolutely delicious.

On
Wednesday we went to Mahane Yehuda on the light rail. It was packed. The
display of fruit and vegetables was back in soft fruit mode. Amazing nectarines
and peaches, piles of cherries and grapes, everything aplenty. We went to
Tzidkiyahus for our pickles, then across to Shmulik for the cheeses – wonderful,
tasty, local cheeses, every single one kosher for Passover. The sound of the
costermongers and the aroma of their wares don't change – they are as sweet as
their displays.

On
Thursday we celebrated the second days of Passover by inviting 11 friends to
dinner on Thursday and then Shabbat dinner by inviting another 10. It was so
much fun!!!! I loved the discussions, some arguments and their delight at
hearing my Zvi's melodic Kiddush. Many Israelis are amazed to find I change all
my dishes, as per the tradition of Passover, and we do not allow any food into
the house unless Kosher for Passover. A few try to tell us the "in the
modern day" one doesn't need to do all those things but I do it for my
parents, and their parents and theirs……….. and for our children, for Jewish
continuity, and because I love it!!!

Sunday
night my Cardiff friend Adrienne came to stay with her Abe. They had a
Bar-Mitzva at the Kotel the next morning and stayed with us rather than schlepp
from Haifa early in the morning. Adrienne and I talked of our childhood and our
traditions, old friends and new lives, and I got to know Abe as we sat out on
our veranda overlooking Jerusalem.

Why
on earth would I bother with such normal stories when the world is
going crazy? Because that is how we cope. We do not try to find logic in a
world where a Palestinian terrorist who was shot by a soldier makes more news
than ethnic cleansing in Africa, hundreds of thousands murdered in Syria and
bombs in Churches in Iraq. We do not try to find logic in a world which denies
the Holocaust to excuse their deeply rooted racism. We do not try to find logic
in hatred for Israel which gives the world Tikkun Olam on every level, hatred
based on lies and rhetoric. We cannot find logic in the media which spits
hatred on Israel, ignores the killing of Christians, while kowtowing to Islam.

We do
not try to find logic in the Shoah because there is none.

This
afternoon
all places of entertainment and restaurants will close, throughout Israel. The
television will show only movies about the Shoah, testimonies of Survivors,
stories of the greatest horror the world has ever known. Tomorrow morning, at
10:00 precisely, Israel will come to a standstill as the siren wails our grief.
It is an eerie, all-encompassing grief, as if the souls of those who perished
are screaming out "But you said Never Again". The siren wails over
our amnesia, over our determined obliviousness to what is happening in our
country – in your country. Jews are again the scapegoat after a clever,
thorough and intentional campaign of anti-Semitic rhetoric by a very clever
enemy.

We
believed it could never happen again but it has and is. Ethnic cleansing has
taken place many times, cruel and determined. The Tutsi genocide in Rwanda; the
Armenian genocide by the Turks; Cambodia, Bosnia, Darfur, Iraq, each horrific,
each created by intense hatred, but none as precise, as calculated, as
organised as the Holocaust. I cannot envisage 6 million Jews, or 10 million
victims, I really cannot. Two nights ago we went to see a prize winning film at
Yad Vashem "Son of Saul". The film doesn't follow the
"usual" Holocaust movies – no foot-clicking Nazi guards or emaciated
bodies; a hand-held camera follows the face of the hero as he goes about his robotic
gruesome business just trying to survive, until he decides to save the body of
a young child. A harrowing and important movie. Tonight we will see a new
production of "Anna" the story of Anne Frank at the Cameri Theatre in
Tel Aviv. I cannot imagine 6 million, but I can identify with one young girl.

Will
our children remember?
Will our children care? Can our children recognize the warning signs? Can we?

To
set one lie aside,
one that is perpetrated constantly as a great excuse to hate Israel, The Reverend
Dumisani Washington speaks on Prager University about refugees – the Jewish
refugees from Arab countries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY0FOPa-j-E

Now
do you understand why I began with the stories of a wonderful Passover?
What holds us together as a people are traditions. What will keep us safe is
our pride in what and who we are. The second we regret our inheritance as Jews
and go back to the groveling, apologetic, Uriah Heep stance, we are lost.

This
morning I am meeting some very special friends at the Botanical Gardens Caffit.
Surrounded by beauty, nature, kindness and personal history I can better understand
the importance of our inherited memory of a time without beauty, nature,
kindness and the determined attempt to wipe out our inherited memory.

Bring a
little love into the world and the light will brighten a million lives. Bring
honesty and morality and it will brighten a billion.

Remember,
it starts with you.

With
much love from Jerusalem, the Golden City, the core of our dreams and prayers.